Recognizing Rights and

Freedoms
Chapter 6

A Century of Change

The 20th century was a period of crises and wars

with major struggles for the recognition of rights
and freedoms. The events that marked this
century affected the entire planet.
At the start of the 20th century, a few Western
countries controlled a large number of countries,
exploiting their wealth. Ex. Africa was almost
entirely colonized. This rivalries between these
powers also were at the root of World War I.
The century was also marked by a revolution in
Russia, a major economic crisis, World War II, and
terrible genocides, as well as by many fights for
civil rights and freedoms.

World War I (1914-1918)

The political atmosphere in Europe in the early

1900s was explosive. The big Western powers were
fighting over Europe and the World. These countries
formed alliances and fought to dominate the planet.
The Triple Alliance which included Germany, AustriaHungary, and Italy. On the other side, there was
France, Russia and the United Kingdom.
They fought in WWI. The conflict resulted in more
than 8 million soldiers deaths and more than 13
million civilian deaths. Devastated, ruined, deprived
of a large number of its young people, Europe would
remain an unstable continent until WW II.

The Russian Revolution

In 1894, Russia was governed by Tsar Nicolas II.

The country became industrialized and like other
industrialized countries, the living and working
conditions of the Russian people were horrible.
The situation encouraged the development of
political and revolutionary movements that
demanded reform.
Finally, a popular revolution chased the Tsar out in
1917.
A communist party, headed by Vladimir Lenin, took
power.
Russia was transformed into a federation that
became the Union of Soviet Republics (U.S.S.R.) in

World War I & Russian

The Great Depression

10 years after World War I, the West including the

United states were enjoying great economic
prosperity. People were buying products at an all time
high.
The Industrialists made enormous profits and the
value of companies on the Stock Exchange grew and
grew.
When the demands declined, surpluses piled up and
the value of the companies collapsed.
In 1929, the economy crashed. Many companies
went bankrupt, businesses closed and the
unemployment rate reached unpredented levels.
It took 10 years for the economy to regain its
strength.

The Great Depression

World War II

The treaties signed at the end of World War I left

many German people dissatisfied. This was made
worse by an economic crisis that hit the population
hard.
In Germany, the Nazi Party exploited this
dissatisfaction in order to take control. The partys
leader, Adolf Hitler promised a return to prosperity.
Instead, he would lead the country into another
World War.
In WW II, the Axis states (Germany, Italy, Japan)
fought against the Allies (France, Great Britain,
Netherlands, Belgium), who were later joined by the
U.S., USSR and about 30 other countries including
Canada.

World War II Cont.

During the course of this war, a major movement

arose in Germany against civil rights and freedoms.
Over 5 000 000 European Jews, as well as the Roma
Gypsies, homosexuals, communists and disabled
people were exterminated.
The conflict was extremely violent. By the time
Germany and Japan finally surrendered, in 1945,
approximately 50 million people had died.
The territories where the war was fought were
devastated and entire cities lay in ruins. The
European economy as a whole collapsed.

World War II

The Cold War

Following WW II, Europe was divided into two major

blocks. One side, there were the countries that
recognized American capitalism. They was referred
to as the Western Block.
On the other side, there were the countries that
aligned themselves with the USSR, they generally
adhered to communist socialist principles. The were
referred to as Eastern Block.
With the exception of a few countries, called the
non-aligned countries, all the countries of world
lined up with one camp or the other.
For almost, 50 years, these two blocks were opposed
and their peoples lived in constant fear of nuclear
destruction. This was the cold war. At the end of the
1980s, the Eastern Block collapsed, making way for

The Cold War

Civil Rights and Freedoms

The issue of human rights made considerable

progress in the 18th and 19th centuries.
In the 20th century, these rights still had to be
extended to all peoples. This recognition was
unfortunately, won only at the cost of difficult
struggles and significant sacrifices.
Thus, the people in the colonies, black people in the
United States and South Africa, and women around
the world had to fight to end exploitation,
segregation and discrimination.

Decolonization

At the end of the 19th century, and within a few

decades, the most advanced industrialized. Western
powers colonized large portions of the world.
However, the colonized countries reacted after WW I.
They opposed the fact that the European powers
exploited the resources of their countries and grew
rich at the expense of the people.
In the 1930s, when the attention of the
industrialized countries was focused on the economic
crisis, the first movements for independence arose.
After WWII, the colonized states revolted and
gradually won their independence.
Before the end of the 20th century, most of the
colonized countries had won their independence. The
colonial empires crumbled: this is called

The Independence of India

India was one of the most important colonies in the

British Empire.
During WW I, many Indians fought at the side of the
British.
As a result, they expected recognition from the
mother country. They obtained quite a few positions
in the local government but these were not enough
for the militant nationalists.
The Congress Party, lead by Mohandas Gandhi who
believed that economics, rather than force, should be
used to fight the British colonizers.
According to Gandhi, the production of goods had to
be done by the colony not the mother country.
Britain turned a deaf ear to Indian demands for
now

The Independence of India Cont.

During WW II, Great Britain once again had to call on

Indian troops. But the Congress Party demanded
independence in exchange for Indian participation in
the war.
Great Britain refused and imprisoned nationalist
leaders at first, however, due to need for soldiers,
the Great Britain finally gave in. India became the
first large colony to win its independence.
When Great Britain withdrew in 1947, two states
were formed: Pakistan with a Muslim majority and
the Indian Union, with a Hindu majority.
Immense migration and a deadly civil war followed.
In 1955, 29 non-aligned countries in Africa and Asia
met at the Bandung Conference, where they were
encouraged to free themselves and the colonizing

Africa Freed

Following the steps of India, a few other Asian

countries, freed itself from its colonizers. African
countries demanded their independence.
Several factors pushed African countries toward
decolonization. After WW II, Africans, who fought
beside the mother countries, expected recognition.
African elites who had served the colonization no
longer wanted to be subordinate to the mother
country. They wanted to control the political and
administrative power of their countries.
These same elites had also studied in big schools in
the colonizing countries. They had studied the
principles of fundamental rights and democracy.
They would, as a result, play a key role in the
struggles for independence.

Africa Freed Cont.

For their part, the colonizers were afraid of losing

their access to both the natural resources of the
colonies and to the markets where they sold their
manufactured goods, if the countries were to obtain
their independence.
They were discovering that it cost a lot to administer
and develop the colonies.
Certain countries with a few colonies supported the
idea of a decolonized world.
In just three decades, more than 50 African countries
won their independence. This process was the result
of long and hard negotiations, and, sometimes,
violent conflicts.
At the end of 1965, almost 80% of the continent had
been freed from colonial domination.

Decolonization

Racism and Segregation

At the start of the 20th century, several charters and

declarations of rights stated that all men were free &
equal.
Yet, certain groups continued to practice racism and
discrimination against certain communities.
Their communities were deprived of their
fundamental rights. Obtaining rights for all because a
major issue during the course of the century.
This involved intense political and social struggles,
such as those of black people in the U.S. and South
Africa.

The U.S.: The Struggle of Black

People

The American civil War took place from 1861 to

1865, with the Southern states opposing Northern
states.
Following that war, the American Constitution was
amended to prohibit any discrimination and give
every man, including black men, the right to vote.
But the these amendments, were not actually
applied.
A policy of segregation was still enacted against
black people, particularly in the Southern States.
Black people in the Southern U.S. who opposed this
discrimination were the target of numerous acts of
violence on the part of white racists including the
KKK.

Decades of Struggles

In the beginning of WW I, black people from the

south migrated to urban centers in the north in
increased numbers. The demand for labor was
greater there as a result of war-time production.
The large-scale migration played a key role in the
struggle of black people against discrimination.
Living with white people was not always easy in the
northern cities. Yet, black people were able to
improve their living conditions and their level of
education.
After WW II, black Americans, who had fought against
the Nazis in Europe, returned to their country with
the firm intention of obtaining the same rights as
white people.

Decades of Struggles Cont.

Several associations were formed in the struggle for

black peoples rights among university students and
black or mixed religious communities.
Some of the most important included the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC), and the Congress of Racial
Equality (CORE).
The 1950s and 60s were crucial in the struggle
against segregation.
In fact, the U.S. was the stage for numerous
demonstrations, particularly in the South: walks for
freedom in which thousands of people took part, the
boycotting of businesses or public services, etc This
action taken were, for the most part, non-violent.

Racism and Segregation

In South Africa: Apartheid

In the 1960s, the situation of black people in the U.S.

improved. Things were much different in South Africa
where a racist political system, called apartheid,
resulted in discrimination against blacks and other
Non-European communities.
White people, who only made up 19% of the
population, held all of the power and almost all of the
countrys wealth.
The Afrikaners of the National Party, which came into
power in 1948, responded to black peoples demands
for independence by voting in apartheid laws.
These laws divided society into four categories: white,
black, colored and Asian, most of whom came from
India or Pakistan.

In South Africa: Apartheid Cont.

Under the Apartheid laws, no non-white person was

allowed to live in or move about in the white
neighborhoods or regions without a pass.
The laws prohibited marriages between white and
non-white individuals. White people had schools,
businesses, restaurants, movie theatres and other
public places reserved solely for their use, non-white
people were not allowed to go.
Black people in rural areas were confined to arid
reservations, which were so small they could barely
survive there. Many black people were forced to work
for powerful white property owners, who exploited
them.
The same laws controlled access to work, the
professions and education. Obviously, non-white
people were not represented in the government.

Struggles and Repression

Apartheid was an absolute violation of the

fundamental rights of anyone who was not white: the
majority of the population.
During the 1950s, these people began to demand
more justice and rights. Their demands gained
strength in the 1960s.
In 1960, the government sent troops to suppress an
unarmed demonstration. The result was the death of
69 people, including men, women and children this
captured the attention of the entire world.
Western states remained deaf to the demands of
black people due to the countrys strategic position
and anti-communist policies.
Africa declared a state of emergency, outlawed the
ANC and arrested thousands of protestors including
Nelson Mandela who was sentenced to life in prison.

The Decline of Apartheid

In the 1970s and the 1980s, the repression of those

who opposed apartheid grew increasingly violent.
In 1976, the police charged a student demonstration,
700 people were killed and 5000 were injured. The
police were given unchecked power, including the right
to imprison without trial, and the authorities to censor
information.
This attitude reinforced the determination of those who
opposed apartheid and earned them increasing
support both inside and outside the country.
South Africa was forced to withdraw from the British
Commonwealth and the UN condemned the regime.
Certain financial institutions in South Africa and
companies refused to do business with the country.
South African athletes were banished from world
competitions, including the Olympics.

The Decline of Apartheid Cont.

In 1989, a new president, Frederik de Klerk, came into

power. At that time, South Africa appeared to be
caught in a stranglehold between internal opposition
and external pressure.
De Klerk intended to eliminate the policy of apartheid.
Progressively, racist laws were abolished, the ban on
the ANC was lifted, and political prisoners were freed,
including Nelson Mandela in 1990.
Over the next four years, Mandela negotiated the
reconstruction of South Africa with de Klerk, which
resulted in the first multiracial elections in 1994.
At that time, Mandela was elected by an impressive
majority.
He became the first black president of South Africa.

Apartheid

The Struggle for Womens Rights

At the start of the 20th century in the West, women

were treated like minors in political and legal terms.
Generally, women were barred from several
professions and jobs, they found it difficult to enter
higher education, and they could not vote, much less
be elected.
Married women could not sign a contract or address a
court. For those matters, they had to rely on their
husbands, who were solely responsible for any
property and who were the legal heads of the
household.
Nevertheless, during the course of the 20th century, the
situation changed thanks to the feminist struggles for
equality.
These resulted in major social changes.

The First Demands

In the years between 1820-1830, women became

increasingly concerned with the rights they were
denied, as well as with human rights in general.
In the U.S., women played an increasingly visible role
on the political scene, fighting against slavery, as well
as against alcoholism and prostitution. It was not until
the start of the 20th century, they effectively began to
demand equal rights for men and women.
British women began to struggle for equal rights. In
fact, starting in the 1850s women who fought for
equal rights formed associations and became known as
suffragettes.
They demanded the right to vote. At the time,
however, they were not very successful.

The Suffragettes become Radical

The Suffragettes became more radical at the start of

the 20th century.
In England, they gained many supporters and became
more militant. They did not refrain from any tactic to
attract attention to their causes.
They organized mass demonstrations and sit-ins in the
heart of London: they occupied the galleries in the
parliament; and they destroyed urban facilities,
telegraph lines, etc
The authorities reacted with repressive measures
where suffragettes were arrested and imprisoned.
Some responded by going on hunger strikes; they had
to be fed by force.

Suffragettes

The Role of Women during the Two

World Wars

During both World Wars, women played a crucial role in

the steps for womens equality.
In fact, in the countries that were at war, the men were
off fighting and all those people who worked in industry
had to be replaced. Women took over manufacturing
munitions, airplanes, tanks, uniforms, etc
Large numbers of women took part in the war effort. As
a result, they discovered new responsibilities.
Thus, following WW I, in response to their contribution
and the sacrifices they had made, women had attained
the right to vote in all provinces except Quebec, which
happened 20 years later.

Womens role during the

Activist Feminists

After WW II, many women remained in the job market.

Nevertheless, women for the most part held
traditionally female jobs. They were also paid less than
men for equal work.
As of the second half of the 20th century, they became
increasingly aware of their situation and mobilized to
change it
The 1970s and 1980s were important decades for
feminism, meaning the activist movement intended to
increase the presence and rights of women in society.
They questioned all relations between the two genders.
For feminists, the equality that had been demanded for
so long became a synonym for freedom.

Activist Feminists Cont.

Activists fought for issues that were of specific interest

to women: valuing the role placed by women in a
couple, easing divorce laws, access to contraception
and the liberalization of abortion, the criminalization of
rape and other sexual offences, etc
They wanted non-traditional jobs opened up to women,
along with higher positions in company.
Nevertheless, there is still a lot of work to be done to
ensure the recognition, in actual fact, of the total
equality of rights. Equality between men and women
will remain a social issue for a long time yet.

Feminists

The Holocaust

As soon as they got into power, the Nazis treated Jews

and minority communities in an inhumane manner.
Nazi Germany organized the genocide of more than 5
million Jewish men, women and children. This is what
we call the Holocaust.

Hitlers Ascension to Power

The economic crisis of the 1930s was particularly hard

on Germany. Both the German currency and German
industry collapsed. One-third of German workers,
namely 6 million people, were unemployed. Adolf
Hitler, a politician, took advantage of this situation to
take power.
In 1920, Hitler took part in founding the National
Socialist German Workers Party, and become its leader
the next year. In 1923, the Nazi Party attempted a
coup d'tat, for which Hitler was sentenced to one year
in prison.
Based on the sense of failure Germans experienced
following World War I and on their concern over their
living conditions, which were increasingly difficult, the
Nazi Party quickly grew in importance. The Nazis

Hitlers Ascension to Power Cont.

In 1933, Hitler took power and became Chancellor.

From that time on, he put all of Germanys resources
towards his grand projects. He used Propaganda and
censorship to make sure that his message was
transmitted throughout the country. He also used
military resources to promote the development of the
war industry and the mobilization of an army of more
than half a million men.
The Nazis tried to eliminate all of the other political
parties and prohibited the organization of unions. They
established a political police force, the Gestapo.
Among other things, this police force was responsible
for hunting down people who expressed their
dissidence. Following this, Europe and the the entire
world were dragged into an incredible whirlwind of war

Anti-Semitic Policies

For Hitler and the Nazis, the Jewish people were

supremely guilty. They did not approve of Jew playing a
major role in the economy and culture. The Nazis even
accused them of working to organize a plot to take
control of the entire planet.
In the 1930s, various repressive measures were
adopted with respect to the 500 000 German Jews. This
anti-Semitic policy became harsher and harsher
throughout the decade, leading to confinement in
concentration camps and then extermination.

The Final Solution

In 1939, war broke out between the Asia powers and

the Allies. In the territories it conquered, Germany
implemented a policy to eliminate the Jews.
Thus, Germany gathered 550 000 Polish Jews in a
single ghetto in Warsaw. Thousands died of hunger,
since food rations were only 300 calories per day and
an adult needs about 2000. Others were either sent to
concentration camps or executed on the spot.
Starting in 1941, the Nazi authorities planned what
they called the Final Solution. This involved finding
means to eliminate all the Jews in Europe.
The Nazis planned for a true genocide. It was easy to
identify Jews by the yellow star they were forced to
wear. They were arrested in large numbers, and then
taken by train to concentration camps.

The Final Solution Cont.

Several of these camps were built in Poland and other

countries occupied by Germany.
In some camps, Jews were executed immediately. In
others, the men who were strong enough to work were
separated from the others, namely the women,
children, elderly and ill, who were usually executed in
gas chambers where they died of asphyxiation.
Their bodies were then dumped in large common
ditches or burned in crematory ovens. Soon, those who
had been selected to work suffered the same fate since
the working and living conditions were so harsh they
could not withstand them for long.

To Make Sure the World

Remembers

The tragic history of the Holocaust reminds us that,

although human beings can be cruel, they can also
stand up, in the worst of times, to defend the rights of
the oppressed.
During WW II, several rebels kept hope and refused to
yield to the infinitely superior forces of the German
occupier.
The genocide of WW II provoked many reactions
around the world. Not only were Nazi leaders
sentenced during the Nuremberg Trials, but the public
were revolted.
The discovery of concentration camps aroused
widespread indignation. Since that time, international
organizations have been founded to ensure that similar

The Holocaust